Liverpool thrive with Curtis Jones in midfield, nearly a year after a reported Kai Havertz decision. This is won the Reds have undoubtedly won.
Curtis Jones or Kai Havertz? A year ago, this isn’t even a question – you pick Havertz and quickly forget Jones is even a thing.
That was even the case over the summer, despite Jones breaking into Liverpool’s first-team squad.
Havertz was an absolute star in Germany, after all, even at the age Jones is now. And Liverpool, reportedly, wanted him.
Difficult decision
When a player like Havertz comes along, you take a look. Here’s a player who turned 21 in June but already has four full senior Bundesliga seasons behind him.
That’s incredible.
Even more incredible is his record there. Havertz scored 18 goals for Bayer Leverkusen last season. He’d scored 20 the previous season – the year before he turned 20.
And this is a player who, predominantly, plays in midfield. He’s a sensational talent and like we say, one you look at.
Liverpool reportedly did, too. The Independent’s Melissa Reddy wrote nearly a year ago that the Reds considered the player but thought the £80m asking-price was too much.
That’s a price Chelsea went on to pay, of course.
Now, we wanted Havertz and saw him as an ideal fit. And if you’d told us back in February that we’d have Jones in the attacking-midfielder role instead, we might have thrown a fit.
But that, effectively, is how things went. Liverpool didn’t think Havertz was worth that and put Jones in their first-team squad this season.
Thriving
Well, Jones looks special, doesn’t he? In fact, he looks far more in-tune with Premier League life than Havertz right now.
The German is struggling, while Jones put in a wonderful performance against Tottenham Hotspur this week. The Scouser has truly arrived in the Premier League and looks ready to explode as a player.
Now, they’re certainly judged differently. Jones is an up-and-comer, while Havertz is an £80m signing with a big reputation.
Is there an £80m difference in ability to Liverpool, though? Certainly not. Even if you believe Havertz is worth more – and he is, as a more proven player – you are still paying a fortune for a player like Jones.
In fact, judging purely on their Premier League exploits, Jones looks more likely to be a success.
We do think Havertz will turn it around. He may well go on to become a much better player than Jones.
But right now, Liverpool appear to have played a blinder on this one. Jones was undoubtedly the right choice from a financial standpoint, with room for him to become the better from a football standpoint, too.
They’ve essentially saved themselves £80m for this season and Jones comfortably looks like a player worth investing time in.
The kid can become the star Liverpool wanted.
Receive a digest of our best Liverpool content each week direct to your mailbox
